Free liquor from water taps at home? While this could bring cheer to tipplers, it could hardly amuse the residents of New Solomon’s Apartment near the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) stand at Chalakudy.
Old liquor stocks, disposed of by Excise officials, had contaminated a well and entered the drinking water supply of 18 families living in the apartment.
Court order
Excise sleuths had seized and sealed 6,000 litres of liquor, stored illegally in a bar that functioned near the KSRTC bus stand around six years ago. As the court gave permission to destroy the liquor recently, the officials dug up a pit on the premises of the bar last Sunday and poured the liquor into it, without realising the consequences.
The liquor seeped from the pit into the soil and got mixed into the water in the well situated close to the compound of the bar. The well is the source of the apartment block’s drinking water needs.
Residents said they felt confused when they first encountered the pungent smell of liquor in their tap water. Soon, they had to stop using their kitchens. The families were inconvenienced as children could not attend school and adults could not go to work.
Complaints sent
Complaints were sent to the police, the Municipality and health officials. Only then did the Excise officials realise what had gone horribly wrong.
The Excise Department has promised the residents that the well will be cleaned, and drinking water supplied to them till their water source becomes potable again.